About the Candidate
Name: Mark Buettner
DOB: Nov. 25, 1954
Occupation: Retired wastewater treatment operator
Political Experience: Faithful voting
Candidate Statement
Hi, this is Mark Buettner, candidate for the MWRD 6-year term.
I grew up in Mount Prospect and have currently lived in Des Plaines for the last ten years.
I want our rivers to be clean, and I want everybody in every neighborhood to be able to swim, boat, and fish in the rivers next to their neighborhood.
I would also like the Des Plaines river to not flood my neighborhood twice a year, which is a stormwater issue which the MWRD is also in charge of.
My family’s house in Mount Prospect used to flood on a regular basis, which is probably why my father was part of the commission to get some of the stormwater structures built. But, it's still a difficult issue.
We are all stakeholders in the MWRD organization through property taxes and city utility bills. And with about 14-years of experience that I have in the business as a treatment plant operator and grease police, industrial waste, I should be able to make sure that your money is well spent. I was once a teamster and an AFMSC member.
I would like to visit each of the facilities on a monthly basis and see what is essential that needs to be repaired.
Vote for Mark Buettner, MWRD Illinois, Green Party, 6-year term.
Thank you.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
Want to reduce the number of combined sewer overflows, tackle storm water flooding of my street, control nutrient pollution coming from treatment plants, as a stakeholder question the $1.3 billion budget expenditures.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
Treats 1.3-2 billion gallons of wastewater a day, has hard working union tradesmen, professional round the clock concerned treatment plant operators. Much of the operating infrastructure and techniques are 40 years old in need of expansion and replacement. Future effluent limits on nitrogen, phosphorus, disinfection byproducts, micro plastics, PFAS must be immediately solved.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
Flooded basements need storm water master plan update and green infrastructure “sponge city” development throughout the watershed area. Clean/stop polluting our rivers through CSO reduction so every neighborhood can boat, fish, swim.
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
The CSO ERSI page is difficult to maneuver. Website search function is curious. Have a central phone number to report odors, and industrial dumping.
